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It is a usual thing in holy writ, to have prohibitions delivered in general terms, which must be understood in a restrained sense. That it is so here, appeareth plainly by the word
rather, prefixed to rejoice, in the latter part of the sentence. For it was doubtless a just cause of joy and rejoicing to them that Christ had honoured them with such an extraordinary gift and power, but not of so much joy as to know that their names were written in the book of life; for as the good was infinitely greater, so a proportionable joy was requisite upon the assurance of it.
The expression written in heaven, is equivalent to the being written in the book of life, whereby is signified, either the certain designation of some to eternal life, or effectual calling. We read of this book of life, Rev_3:5 20:12,15 21:27 22:19. It is called the Lamb’s book, Rev_13:8, and it is said it was written from the foundation of the world; which will justify those divines who understand it of a particular election from eternity; whereas it is objected that when amongst the twelve there was a son of perdition, it is unreasonable to think that all the seventy were elect vessels. It is easily answered, that our Saviour’s words were true according to the usual phrase of speaking, if the generality of them only were such. Nor need our Saviour be understood as asserting all their names were so written, but only asserting the greatest cause of joy to be, if men can by their calling find that their election is sure. From our Saviour’s words we may infer,
1. That there is a book of life, an election of grace.
2. That there are names written in this book; it is an election of persons.
3. That men may know that their names are written in that book, otherwise they could not rejoice; no man rejoiceth but in a good with which he hath some degree of union.
4. That this is a greater cause of joy, than for a man to know that he hath a power to cast out devils.
Men may be made use of to cast out devils in Christ’s name, who yet may go to the devil at last, Mat_7:22,23; so cannot those whose names are written in the book of life. But I cannot understand that our Saviour in these words asserts that all the names of the seventy were written in that book. The tendency of his discourse is rather to quicken them to give all diligence to make sure of this cause of joy and rejoicing.